Manuel Pellegrini vowed to name a strong team for tonight's Capital One Cup clash with Crystal Palace despite Manchester City's injury problems.

City will again be without Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Gael Clichy, Fabian Delph and Samir Nasri, while Fernandinho is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the derby draw with Manchester United.

Pellegrini fielded a strong side in the previous round against Sunderland, which was followed by City's heaviest defeat of the season at Tottenham, but the Chilean insisted that has not changed his thinking. He said: "We are trying to have a starting XI tomorrow that is the best we can name at this moment.

"It's not easy because we have so many players with injuries and maybe a few players are playing a lot of games, but for our team it is important to try to continue in the Capital One Cup.

"When you play the final of a cup at Wembley with 90,000 people, I think it's always a very important cup."

Belfast Telegraph

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